Principal's Message
Dear Arroyo Families,
Happy New Year! I hope that your family made some wonderful memories together over the break, however you spent it. The Arroyo staff and I are excited to see our students again this week to get 2022 off to a fantastic start.
As we prepare for this return, I want to share a few reminders:
- NO SCHOOL on Monday, Jan. 3. Our teachers will be spending the day learning together on a range of topics, including science, math, literacy and PBL, as well as continuing our work on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging with Inclusion Counts.
- Be sure to read all communications from San Carlos School District for the latest updates on home testing kits, quarantine guidelines, and more. Home testing kits will be available on Monday, Jan. 3 for all SCSD students (see the link or details below for pickup info; all kits not picked up will be available at school after 1/3). Testing is recommended (but optional) for all students, regardless of vaccination status, symptoms or travel, due to the wide prevalence of COVID variants. If possible, please test no later than the morning before returning to school, and again 3 days later.
- Please keep your child home for any COVID symptoms, including headache, sniffles, sore throat, and coughs, and get your child tested.
- Please follow CDC recommendations regarding testing and quarantine if your family traveled over the break.
- To report an absence (whether due to illness, positive COVID test, travel quarantine, travel delay, or any other reason), please email our school secretary, Tracey Olazar ([email protected]) as well as your child’s teacher. We’re happy to provide an independent study plan for anyone needing to be absent for a few days or longer.
- Please get your 5-11 year olds vaccinated and 16+ boosted! If you haven’t been able to find appointments, a vaccination clinic is available at Ralston Middle School on Monday, Jan. 3.
- Send your child with lots of warm layers, extra masks and a water bottle. We have a cold week ahead, and with doors and windows open, our classrooms are chilly.
4th & 5th grade math can be challenging, especially for parents! Susan Resnick, our Math in Focus Consultant and one of the authors of the curriculum will be hosting a parent education night for parents of SCSD 4th & 5th graders on Jan. 13 from 7:15-8pm over Zoom (Zoom link here) where she will share ideas about how to support your student at home. This session will include a brief overview of the success behind Singapore Math and the key instructional strategies that have led to Singapore's place as top in the world in mathematics. Additionally, Susan will give you practical ideas of how to help your student at home whether they need more scaffolding or more enrichment. You will learn about number bonds, bar modeling, long division and other approaches that might look a little different than how math looked when you went to school.
One final reminder: the SCEF Read-a-Thon starts on Monday, Jan. 10. See below to get registered!
Cheers to a healthy and joyful year ahead!
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
PTA News
PTA Meeting - Jan 12 7pm via Zoom
The PTA is truly grateful to everyone who has contributed to our PTA Partner
Please join us for our first meeting of 2022 via Zoom. This is an opportunity to give your input and help brainstorm ideas for our Winter and Spring activities.
Also, hear about our final fundraising numbers and… Join the Special Projects Committee!! This committee collects ideas and researches special projects to recommend to the Central and Arroyo PTA based on available funds. If you are interested in joining this team, please e-mail Kirsten Kell at [email protected]. We would love your help!
Check out the Agenda here.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89751389137
Meeting ID: 897 5138 9137
Passcode: 997446
Upload Your photos for the Arroyo 2021-22 Yearbook!
Parents & Teachers can now sign into TreeRing and upload photos into shared folders for the various classrooms or themes. You can also upload into private folders for use on personal/custom TreeRing pages later.
Our yearbook reps for each class will look through those photos periodically for use on your classroom’s montage page and the various events pages. Deadline to be announced later, but good to start uploading now, including class events, Halloween, sports, pets, etc.
Quick instructions below, and we have very detailed instructions here:
- Goto Treering at https://treering.com/validate - Use our passcode: 1014628525232886
- If you’ve used TreeRing before then click the green Log-In button on the bottom right, and if you are new to TreeRing you’ll create a new account.
- Select your teacher’s name
- You can purchase a yearbook now or click the “Buy later” link in the top left
- Scroll down to find Share Photos > “Share Your Photos” button
- Click the Shared Photo Folders icon and find the appropriate classroom or named event folder, then upload by clicking Add Photos button
The CMS/Arroyo Library Could Use Your Help!
Our school librarian is looking for parent volunteers to help with shelving books and/or lunchtime library supervision. Ideally volunteers could commit to one hour every week or two, but once a month would work too! Times and days are flexible.
For more information, please contact CMS/Arroyo Librarian: Katie Hultgren at [email protected].
SCEF News
Ready for the Read-A-Thon?
The 2nd annual Read-A-Thon starts NEXT week, on January 10–please REGISTER NOW.
Visit www.scefkids.org/read2022 to register and learn more! SCEF’s goal is 100% participation across the district!
4 STEPS TO GET STARTED
1. REGISTER your child at the link above
2. SHARE the 99Pledges donation page with family and friends*
3. ENCOURAGE your child to READ!
4. LOG reading and listening minutes January 10-22
* Fundraising isn’t required to participate
A BIG Thank You and Deep Appreciation
We want to thank you for your support and commitment to our students, teachers and staff. Amid challenging times, you, and the entire San Carlos community, have made supporting our public schools a priority. We look to 2022 with great hope.
District News
Testing Kits Available for Pick-up, Monday, Jan 3
The California Department of Public Health is providing school districts with rapid tests for student use in the first weeks of January. Each testing kit contains two tests. SCSD will be distributing them to interested families at the following drive through locations on Monday, January 3, 2022.
- Arroyo Upper Elementary School 1710 Arroyo Ave, San Carlos 9:30-11:30am and 12:30–3pm
- Heather Elementary School 2757 Melendy Drive, San Carlos 9:30-11:30am and 12:30–3pm
- Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula 2031 Pulgas Avenue, East Palo Alto 9:30-11:30am and 12:30–3pm
Parent Night with Susan Resnick, US Consultant and Author of Math in Focus
Singapore Math about ideas to support your student at home. This session will include a brief overview of the success behind Singapore math and the key instructional strategies that have led to Singapore's place as top in the world in mathematics. Additionally, Susan will give you practical ideas of how to help your student at home whether they need more scaffolding or more enrichment. You will learn about number bonds, bar modeling, long division and other approaches that might look a little different than how math looked when you went to school.
Gr K-3: 6:30-7:15pm Jan 13
Gr 4-5: 7:15-8pm Jan 13
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9816352626
Virtual TK/Kindergarten Information Night for New Families - Jan 10
Virtual TK/Kindergarten Information Night - Do you have an incoming TK or Kindergarten student? Are you new to the district? If so, please join us for our Virtual TK/Kindergarten Information Night, which is designed to provide parents and guardians with information about the San Carlos School District, its community partners and programs, and to provide an overview of how to register for school. Join us on Monday, January 10 from 6:30-7:30 pm for a virtual presentation via Zoom.
Registering a New Student - To get a jump on registration, familiarize yourself with our online registration process by visiting our How to Register for the 2022-23 School Year page for more information. Questions? Call your school for more information on the registration process.
Transitional Kindergarten - Will your child turn 5 between September 2, 2022 and February 2, 2023? If so, they will be enrolled in our Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program. Visit our Transitional Kindergarten program page to learn more.
New Student Priority Registration - For all students (TK-8th grade) opens on Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Priority registration closes on February 11, 2022.
Visit our Key Dates page for New Student Registration and Transfer Timelines:
- Monday, January 10 - Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for New Families from 6:30-7:30pm
- Tuesday, January 11 - New Student Priority Registration Opens for All New Students at 12pm
- Wednesday, January 26 - Schools hold Virtual Elementary School Tours for Incoming TK/Kindergarten Families from 4
- Friday, February 11 - New Student Priority Registration Deadline 4pm
COVID Reminders - Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested
Staying home when sick and getting tested for COVID-19 are two of the most effective ways to keep our community safe. Click here for more information.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, call your school office to report an illness, stay home, and take a COVID test. If you need to report a COVID case, please call our District Nurse - Page Pollack at 650-632-8300 (Arroyo Office) or Human Resources at 650-590-5922 if the nurse is unavailable.
For additional information, visit our COVID-19 Resources page and review the SCSD Health & Safety Plan.
Schedule Your Appointment at the Curative COVID-19 Testing Van
Please take advantage of the no-cost COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.
Click on the link to sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:
Central Middle School (parking lot)
- NEW Mondays 11am-5pm
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9am-3pm
- Thursdays 1pm-7pm
- Fridays 11am-5pm
- Sign-up for testing at Central here
NEW LOCATION OPENING NOV 3!
Tierra Linda Middle School (parking lot)
- Wednesday & Friday 11am-5pm
- Saturday 8am-3pm
- Sign-up for testing at Tierra Linda here
- Other Community Based Testing sites in San Mateo County Here
Community Partner News
SCSD Day at Stanford Basketball Feb 6 - Discounted Tickets on Sale!
Join us at Maples Pavilion as the Cardinal takes on the Washington Huskies. Get to know your fellow SCSD families seating in the same section. All SCSD students in attendance will receive a Stanford t-shirt!
Use promo code SCSD to purchase tickets at the discounted price, starting at just $12. The promo code is active, and families can begin purchasing tickets right away
SamTrans Art Takes a Bus Ride Contest
Art Takes a Bus Ride (1st-12th Grade Students) - Submissions due February 25, 2022: The San Mateo County Office of Education is partnering with SamTrans to give students a chance to have their artwork displayed on the side of a SamTrans bus for an entire year. Artwork must illustrate this year’s theme of San Mateo County Reopens. Learn more.
Parent Education Opportunities
Parent Venture Series - https://www.parentventure.org/events